122k views
4 votes
The mitochondrial DNA helicase has 612 amino acids. What is the length of the mRNA from this protein is translated ? Show your work and explain.

User Chenmunka
by
8.1k points

1 Answer

2 votes
The answer is 1836 nucleotide bases.

It is known that three nucleotide bases in mRNA are called codon and that each codon codes for the specific amino acid. For 3 nucleotide bases in mRNA, there is 1 amino acid in a protein. So, there are 3 times more nucleotide bases in mRNA than amino acids in the protein. This can be represented mathematically:
3 nucleotide bases : 1 amino acid = x nucleotide bases : 612 amino acids
3 nucleotide bases x 612 amino acids : 1 amino acids = x nucleotide bases
x nucleotide bases = 612 x 3 nucleotide bases
x nucleotide bases = 1836 nucleotide bases.
So, mRNA long 1836 nucleotide bases will give a protein with 612 amino acids.
User MiniGod
by
7.8k points